Title: In the Rain
Author: xx shadowdreamer.
A/N:

HAYY. kk i decided to finish this oneshot. i hope its not horrible. the begginning was written like, 890584252 years ago (actually only 2) so it might not be the same way i write right now, but i think its fine. the ending is probably horrible too. I had no idea how to end it. And it might be an... odd... plot i guess, but i felt like finishing this. lol. hope u like. TO LOVE YOU will be updated this week, promise. Im in the process of editing the ending so that its not a lame-o ending. haha. REVIEW pls.

A game.

It's all it ever would be. It was nothing.

Then why did it hurt so much?

Her head thumped on the door, as she slid down slowly, letting her tears fall from her chocolate brown eyes. She wasn't supposed to cry, to hurt inside. She was supposed to laugh at him, laugh at the fact he had fallen in love with a girl like her. He was supposed to be the one who hurt inside. His heartbreak was not supposed to be hers.

It was unwritten law between the three of them: get him to fall in love with you and then break his heart. It was a sick and twisted game that they played, just because they could. They were the top of their world, all three being models for Vogue and all three knew how to tie a man right around their pretty, little fingers. It was fun for them of course and neither of them really even believed in love. It was nonexistent, at least to Gabriella. She'd never really even seen love as she grew up. Her dad cheated on her mom when she was thirteen, then her mom went under the influence of drugs and she left Gabriella to fend for herself, only providing her with shelter, nothing more. But Gabriella knew she was strong. She could withstand it when her own mother didn't love her, why couldn't she do it for this one boy that she had barely even met?

She got up slowly, her legs feeling weak and breakable, walking over to her bathroom.

Her sobs reduced to merely tears falling from her face. She felt numb. She couldn't feel anything anymore, except for sadness and regret. She reached for the doorknob of the bathroom door, the cool metal in her palm. She entered and then stared herself down in the mirror.

She had always known she was beautiful. Hell, she hadn't gone a day in the past three years without being checked out by some random man on the street or by other girls who looked at her in jealousy. But she had eventually gotten comfortable with it, almost to the point where if she wasn't being check out it wasn't normal to her anymore. But those eyes didn't matter to her as much as the blue ones she couldn't stop seeing in her head. She wanted them out, so fucking much. She wanted to stop seeing his fucking gorgeous face and his fucking body and his fucking toothy smile. She wanted to stop seeing him.

Who the fuck was he anyway?

Troy Bolton. The most eligible bachelor she knew. But she had seen people look just as good as him. She remembered dating Samuel Pontreal, brown hair that hung slightly over his green eyes and God, did he have amazing abs. But when Gabriella broke his heart, she didn't feel a thing. Troy wasn't the only nice one she had met. Jesse Davis, millionaire extraordinaire, bought her countless of gifts within their 3 month 'relationship'. He even took her to Paris for a three-night getaway and he gave her so much money just to shop in the amazing city. Of course she didn't want to be mean and refuse the offer to go to Paris, but she used her own money to shop, did he think she was poor? And when Gabriella broke up with him, she didn't feel a thing. Steve Logan, Aaron Fender, Michael Sturges; they all had the same thing in common: she couldn't feel pain when she broke up with them. Every single one of the guys she's ever dated never made her feel like this.

Maybe it wasn't so much how he looked or how nice he was. Maybe it was just the way he made her feel. Like how he'd take her to someplace as cheap as McDonalds and how he'd subconsciously wrap his arm around her waist while he ordered for the two of them (mostly him, seeing as Gabriella had to maintain a figure), probably not realizing it was there, as if it were just natural. She loved the way he'd smile at her when they walked into an expensive restaurant and pull out her chair and then mimic the waiter's French accent when they ordered wine. She loved it when they sat in each others presence when they were at either one of their apartments, his arm slung lazily over her shoulder and her body leaning in towards him, joking around as they watched TV. She loved the way she didn't have to kiss him to feel like he was actually kissing her; she would feel the butterflies in her stomach nonetheless. She loved the way it felt to be next to him when she woke up in the mornings, his arms wrapped around her body.

And she realized she loved him.

Troy Bolton finally broke her streak.

It was just so easy to go to him and say that she loved him, that she would do anything just to know that he was hers. It was almost too easy.

But of course, she knew she couldn't. He hated her. She broke his heart, not quite knowing that she had also broken her own. If she were him, she would hate her herself too. Six months before, he had told her that he loved her. She remembered the day quite clearly actually. It had been raining and they were on Troy's black leather couch facing the TV, watching American Idol. Troy had his arm around her shoulders lazily and she was leaning towards him and just admiring him there. Troy had gotten up and said he was going to get something from his bedroom. She followed him shortly after he left and saw him sitting on his bed, his head in his hands.

"What wrong?" she had asked, concerned. He lifted his face and she saw that he was crying.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. He wiped his tears hurriedly on his long sleeve t-shirt. "I-I just…"

Gabriella walked over to him swiftly, placing her arm around his waist. "Troy, what's wrong?"

"I…" he looked at her, his blue eyes full of sadness. She cringed. "My mom called me just a few minutes ago when we got back home… My brother is in the hospital and I… I'm just so scared. He was in an accident and he's in a coma and the doctors don't know if he would wake up…"

She could see him hold his tears in and she felt her heart drop. He continued, "I'm really sorry. I'm just so worried. My brother is like my best friend…. I-I… I'll be fine. Let's go back out."

He stood up to go back to the living room, but Gabriella held his hand tightly, holding him back. "No… It's okay to cry, Troy."

And then he sat back down, hugging her tightly. She could feel his chest moving up and down quickly as he sobbed on her shoulder. It was a few minutes later when he regained control of his tears and then apologized to her again.

"I-I… I don't know what I'd do without you." Troy told her honestly. "I… love you."

And then the words were said. She smiled at him that day and kissed him chastely on the lips. "I love you too."

Even then, she knew she meant it. She just didn't realize how far she had fallen until today.

She had been brutal to him too. But she had no choice. If she kept their relationship going, she would never have been able to do it. God, how she hated herself right now. They were out to dinner at some fancy restaurant Troy reserved for them. A year. That's how long they had been together, and although it seems like such a long time to be with someone who she was going to break up with anyway, Gabriella never had the desire to end it anytime sooner. She always told herself that it was because the longer she had his heart; the worse it was for him. And it was the truth after all, but it wasn't the actual reason she didn't break up with him.

That night, he had gotten down on one knee and asked the question she had dreaded for her whole life. Was she going to be like her mom? She was so sure she'd end up like her mom, going six feet under because she fell in love. So she broke down and began sobbing right in front of him, running out of the restaurant in her black Jimmy Choo heels. Once she was outside she kept running, hoping he wouldn't follow her. She didn't want to have to explain why she ran out, why she couldn't say yes, why she couldn't fall in love. He caught up to her though, calling her name loudly as he did.

Gabriella stopped at his voice and then turned around, knowing what she had to do.

"No."

Troy stopped in front of her, hearing the word she just said. "What?"

"I said no."

"What are you talking about? No what?"

"No, I'm not marrying you."

And then his world crumbled around him and Gabriella could see that. Usually, she would've been calm, but still sensitive to their feelings, but even she was surprised at her own reaction. She fell to the ground, sobbing. Troy strode over towards her, his tears he tried to control.

"W-we don't have to get married now… I-I mean, we could wait a few months, years even!"

"No!"

And then Gabriella stood up, demanding control of her own body. The tears still fell freely from her eyes, but her face was stiff, her jaw clenched. "I-I don't love you."

Then, she turned around, running. This time, Troy wasn't following her.

-------

God he was stupid.

He was an idiot.

A Goddamn, stupid fucking idiot.

They warned him. They warned him that Gabriella would break his heart. That she would eventually dump his sorry, little ass and then move on. But no, he didn't want to believe their words. He was in denial; he was in love. He punched the wall of his home, not caring whether any of his neighbors heard the loud boom. He dumped himself on his black leather couch, unable to summon up anymore tears. He didn't have anymore. Instead, his grief had turned into pure anger. He hated her. Hated how she manipulated him, how she deceived him, how she broke his heart.

Well, mission accomplished, Gabriella.

She did break his heart; that was her intention all along. He knew. Oh did he know. He knew it was a game to her. That love was nothing to her. Her friends had even warned him about her. Sharpay and Taylor, he believed. They explained the game that they once thought was fun, but realized it was sick and twisted. That they should never had started it. They told him because they knew he was a good guy. That he honestly did love her because of her, not like the other men she had broken. They only loved her because she was a model and she was gorgeous. Never had anyone one of them ever asked about her mom, about her childhood. No one except Troy himself. He was flattered at first, but then they explained the real truth of what happened to Gabriella's mother.

She killed herself with drugs. Gabriella's dad had cheated on her mom and her mom turned to drugs and alcohol. Gabriella lived in the same house with the woman who didn't give a damn what she did and spent half her life passed out on the couch. They explained how Gabriella couldn't trust anyone after her dad. She blamed the whole thing on her dad. If he had never cheated on her mom, then she wouldn't have killed herself. Gabriella would have been able to grow up normally. She never believed in love and it was a promise Gabriella kept to herself. She would never fall in love. Period.

Troy didn't believe them though. He didn't believe that someone could never fall in love. That wasn't what life was for. He believed that he could get her to change her view, of course not letting her know that was his intention. At first, he couldn't care less who she fell in love with, him or the hobo living the alley. A challenge was a challenge and if the challenge was to get her to fall in love with someone, then it was nothing more or nothing less. It was not 'get her to fall in love with Troy' but instead just 'someone'. So he was on a mission, just as she was. At that point, he wasn't even sure he loved her. Sure he was attracted, but not entirely in love with her.

It was six months into their relationship when he heard his brother was about in a coma. It was then when he realized he loved her. The way she settled completely naturally in his arms and how he never felt uncomfortable whenever he was with her. He decided that if she was going to break up with him, she would've done it earlier. There was no use staying with him if she really hated him that much. So when his mom called to say his brother was in an accident, he crumbled. He sobbed and she was the only one there who could help. She let him cry on her shoulder. And on impulse he said the three words and she said them back. He did it. And it was so much better when she fell in love with him.

He felt like everything in his life was falling into place. He was in love with her, she was in love with him. His brother woke up from his coma; his mom and dad were having their twenty-fifth anniversary only a month later and he was going to propose to the one person that he knew he could spend his life with. But his world crumbled once more. She told him she didn't love him.

God how it hurt to feel his heart breaking.

Never had he ever felt like this, so attached to one girl. And as he lay on his couch, he could still feel his heart breaking little by little into tiny piece until he could swear his heart was completely gone.

His phone rang.

He reached on his coffee table to answer it.

"Hello?" he answered hoarsely.

"She still loves you."

"Sharpay?" he asked, recognizing the blonde's voice. Her voice was frantic however and

it seemed like she was trying to tell him before something happened.

"Troy, she still loves you." She repeated and he knew exactly who she was talking about. "Don't believe what she said. She still loves you. She can either go with the flow or kill herself opposing."

But Troy didn't quite get the message Sharpay was trying to deliver. Okay, so she loves him? Does that justify the fact that she broke his heart? Or was he supposed to follow her and chase after her? It was all just so confusing.

"She's going there right now." Sharpay announced, breaking Troy's train of thought. He didn't quite believe it.

"Yeah, right."

"She is. Just wait."

And then Sharpay hung up, Troy only hearing a busy tone on the other line. He waited there for a second, hoping there was more to what Sharpay was going to say, but there wasn't. Was he supposed to believe that?

As if on cue, the doorbell rang.

He didn't want to get up and answer it. He was still in the same black slacks and white button up shirt that he had on before Gabriella rejected him. His white button up shirt was halfway unbuttoned however, and his hair was damp because it had been raining outside. His eyes were red and puffy and it was quite clear he was crying just a few minutes before. But the doorbell didn't stop ringing and he got up, frustrated. He didn't fee like dealing with anyone right now.

When he swung the door open, he saw the same brunette who ad just broken his heart hours before. Her hair was soaking wet and she still wore the black dress that he had last seen her in. She was soaking wet, her dress dripping on the welcome mat below her and hair clung to her face and hung down in wet curls. He mascara run down her cheeks and her eyes were red and puffy as if she was just crying before. If Troy didn't know better, he would've thought that she was sobbing only minutes before, but she wasn't. She couldn't have. He imagined her laughing at the fact he fell for her, not crying. He was about to slam the door in her face, not being able to bear being in the presence of the very girl who crushed him, but then she spoke.

"I love you."

Troy couldn't decide between leaping up and down and kissing her passionately or laughing at the fact she even dared to lie to him again. But instead, he stood there, his face expressionless.

"Am I supposed to believe you?"

Tears almost sprung to Gabriella's eyes. She messed up big time. "I know you shouldn't. You hate me right now. But God, you don't know how fucking hard it was for me to end it, to end us."

"It was hard for you? Do you know how hard it was for me? To be rejected by the only person who I've ever thought I could live with for the rest of my life?" Troy practically yelled. Gabriella felt a hot tear run down her cheek.

"Troy…" she said softly, stepping up towards him. "I… I love you. You are the only person I've ever loved. Hell, I can't even believe it myself, but it's true… You hate me. I understand. But I wanted you to know."

Then Gabriella turned around and began to walk away, letting her tears fall from her eyes. She turned the corner and then entered the elevator, hoping to go home. Her feet were sore. She was wearing flip flops, a short black dress, and it was raining. She had walked all the way from her house, not bothering to use her car. She didn't want to waste any time. She had to tell him right away. She hoped that maybe everything would be right again; that they would be happy together. She wanted to tell him that she accepted; that she would marry him right on the spot if she could spend the rest of her life with him.

She walked outside of the building and walked out into the pouring rain. She shivered; she was freezing. She didn't really realize how cold it was until she walked out right then and there. She had been so focused on telling Troy what she really felt, she couldn't feel the rain on her skin and the night breeze on her way to Troy's She walked at least four yards before she heard a pair of footsteps running behind her. She turned around and saw Troy running towards her rapidly, still in the pair of black slacks and white shirt she had seen him in. Then everything else was a blur except for the words he had said to her after.

"I could never hate you… I love you too much."

And then he kissed her, placing one hand behind her neck and his other one around her waist, pulling her closer towards him. She wrapped her arms around his body, holding on tightly, as if she let go he would disappear from her arms. They kissed in the rain for what seemed like years to each of them, but neither one wanting to break it.

Gabriella pulled away reluctantly, remembering what she had wanted to say. "Yes."

Troy looked at her oddly, "Yes what?"

"Yes I'll marry you."

And he smiled brightly, lifting her up into the air as she giggled happily. He placed her back down.

"I love you." He said.

"I love you too."

And she placed her lips on top of his and this time, their kiss was slow, unrushed. All the words were said and there was no sense of urgency. They were just savoring the moment, knowing that there were more to come.

From far away, you could see two people: a man and a woman. The man had his arms around her waist and the woman's arms around his neck. They were kissing in the rain. From far away, it wouldn't look like a romantic place to be kissing nor would it look like the best place to be when you are confessing you're undying love for someone. But to Gabriella and Troy, it was the only place there could be.